Encuesta sobre la diseminación e implementación de la Práctica Basada en la Evidencia en los Servicios Sociales del Reino Unido

A cross sectional UK-wide survey assessed current levels of dissemination and implementation of Evidence- Based Practice (EBP) in social care and social work agencies. A structured questionnaire was e-mailed to 357 agencies of which 155 (43.4%) completed and returned it. Although the results show that EBP in this area is still in its early stages, most respondents reported a good knowledge of EBP as well as the view that professional decisions should be informed by —but not only— research evidence. Lack of time, resources, information and training are identified as the main barriers to be overcome for an effective implementation of EBP in the social services.Una encuesta transversal nacional fué realizada en el Reino Unido a fin de explorar los niveles de diseminación e implementación de la Práctica Basada en la Evidencia (PBE) en los servicios sociales de dicho país. Un cuestionario estructurado fué enviado por e-mail a 357 agencias, de las cuales 155 completaron y remitieron el cuestionario (tasa de respuesta: 43,4%). Aunque los resultados muestran que la PBE en el sector de los servicios sociales está aún en su fase inicial, la mayoría de los participantes afirmó poseer un buen conocimiento de la PBE así como que las decisiones profesionales se deberían basar en —entre otros componentes— evidencia derivada de estudios científicos de alta calidad metodológica. La falta de tiempo, de recursos materiales, de información y de adiestramiento fueron identificados como los obstáculos principales para la expansión de la PBE en los servicios sociales

La práctica basada en la evidencia en los cursos de titulación de Trabajo Social

Evidence-based Practice (EBP) in Social Work has over the last decade developed rapidly, especially in the English-speaking countries, where it has become a component of professional competence. Therefore, social work schools in those countries are now generally expected to provide students with appropriate knowledge and training in applying research evidence to practice. The literature examined in this paper identifies the following major themes in the process of EBP implementation within social work programmes: (i) integration of EBP into the curriculum; (ii) readiness of social work academic staff; (iii) the role of agency-based practice learning; (iv) relevance of EBP implementation for social work professional project. If the challenges involved in this process are overcome EBP can not only provide an optimal framework for the education of social work students as informed and critical practitioners but also contribute to increasing the influence, credibility and autonomy of social work as a key profession of the welfare state.En la última década, en los países anglosajones, se ha desarrollado en el área de Trabajo Social la Práctica Basada en la Evidencia (PBE), cuyo conocimiento se ha convertido ya en un requisito para la cualificación profesional. Como consecuencia, en dichos países preparan a sus estudiantes de trabajo social para la utilización efectiva de la evidencia científica derivada de los estudios de investigación. Este artículo aborda la integración de la PBE en el currículum académico, la necesidad de la preparación del personal docente para la enseñanza de la PBE, el esencial papel de las prácticas de campo y la relevancia de la PBE para el proyecto profesional del Trabajo Social. Si las dificultades que el proceso de implementación conlleva son superadas, la PBE puede, no sólo proporcionar un óptimo marco para la formación de los futuros trabajadores sociales, sino también contribuir a incrementar la influencia, autonomía y credibilidad del Trabajo Social como profesión clave del Estado del Bienestar

La calidad de la atención educativa que reciben los menores residentes con sus madres en los centros penitenciarios españoles

Referencia de la publicación original: Jiménez Morago, J. M. (2004). La calidad de la atención educativa que reciben los menores residentes con sus madres en los centros penitenciarios españoles. Apuntes de Psicología, 22 (1), 45-59.Como parte de una investigación cuyo objetivo era estudiar el desarrollo de los niños que residen con sus madres en centros penitenciarios hasta los 3 años, se evaluó la calidad de la atención educativa de las escuelas infantiles en el interior de las cuatro Unidades de Madres dependientes de la administración penitenciaria estatal. El instrumento empleado fue la Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS), de Harms, Cryer y Clifford. Los datos revelan que la calidad de la atención educativa varía notablemente de unos centros a otros: mientras en unos casos la puntuación media puede considerarse aceptable (4 sobre un máximo de 7), en otros resulta claramente insuficiente (2,2). Los aspectos que resultan mejor valorados son la interacción en el aula y las actividades de lenguaje; por su parte, los que reciben una puntuación más baja se refieren a las rutinas de cuidados personales y a las actividades de aprendizaje. Finalmente, se comparan estas puntuaciones con las de las escuelas infantiles publicas del exterior y se realizan algunas sugerencias para mejorar las condiciones en las que se ofrecen estos programas, así como la calidad de la atención educativa que reciben estos niños y niñas.In the wider context of a investigation whose objetive was to study the development of children who live with their mothers in penitentiary centres up until three-years-old, an evaluation was carried out of the quality of educational attention offered by nursery schools within the four mothers and baby units who depend on state penitentiary administration. The instrument used was the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (Harm, Cryer, & Clifford, 1990). The data reveal that the quality of educational attention notably varies from one centre to another: while in some cases the average score can be considered acceptable (4 of a possible of 7), in others it is cleary insufficient (2,2). The aspects more highly scored were classroom interaction and language activities; on the other hand, the lowest scores were for personal care routines and learning activities. Finally these punctuations are compared with those of external public nursery schools and some suggestions are made to improve the quality and conditions in which these programs are offered to the children

Multi modality fusion

Dissertation supervisor: Dr. Ye Duan.Includes vita.2D images and 3D LIDAR range scans provide very different but complementing information about a single subject and, when registered, can be used for a variety of exciting applications. Video sets can be fused with a 3D model and played in a single multi-dimensional environment. Imagery with temporal changes can be visualized simultaneously, unveiling changes in architecture, foliage, and human activity. Depth information for 2D photos and videos can be computed. Real-world measurements can be provided to users through simple interactions with traditional photographs. However, fusing multi-modality data is a very challenging task given the repetition and ambiguity that often occur in man-made scenes as well as the variety of properties different renderings of the same subject can possess. Image sets collected over a period of time during which the lighting conditions and scene content may have changed, different artistic renderings, varying sensor types, focal lengths, and exposure values can all contribute to visual variations in data sets. This dissertation addresses these obstacles using the common theme of incorporating contextual information to visualize regional properties that intuitively exist in each imagery source. We combine hard features that quantify the strong, stable edges that are often present in imagery along object boundaries and depth changes with soft features that capture distinctive texture information that can be unique to specific areas. We show that our detector and descriptor techniques can provide more accurate keypoint match sets between highly varying imagery than many traditional and state-of-the-art techniques, allowing us to fuse and align photographs, videos, and range scans containing both man-made and natural content.Includes bibliographical references (pages 227-250)

Self-regulation in family foster children

This poster presents research on foster children’s capacities for self-regulation and its relation to adversity history. Children in family foster care are a vulnerable population due to their experiences of maltreatment and separation from primary caregivers. Research has shown high rates of behavioral problems and impulsivity in these children, as well as other difficulties such as poor academic adjustment. Recent theory and research advances suggest some of these problems are due to deficits in self-regulatory capacities, such as executive functions or emotion regulation. Early adversity in key developmental stages, like that suffered by many foster children, can undermine the normative development of these capacities and, consequently, their psychosocial adjustment. This study explores this topic in a sample of foster children between 4 and 8 years old who were living in non-relative foster families for at least six months in Southern Spain. We used the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF; Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000), a widely used parent-reported questionnaire, to assess self-regulation in the foster children. The BRIEF was answered by the primary foster caregiver during a home visit. The information regarding adverse events and trajectory in the child protection services was obtained through case records in collaboration with caseworkers. The results of this study show us information about the capacities of self-regulation of children in family foster care. Due to the centrality of self-regulation in development and the fact that it remains responsive to well-designed interventions beyond early childhood, interventions for foster children and families should consider targeting this dimension to improve their outcomes

Protective effect of supportive family relationships and the influence of stressful life events on adolescent adjustment

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Anxiety, Stress & Coping: An International Journal on 04 Mar 2009, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10615800802082296The purpose of this study was to determine the association between the occurrence of stressful life events and internalizing and externalizing problems, and to analyze longitudinally buffering effects of supportive family relationships. To this end, 100 Spanish adolescents were studied twice, when they were in mid- adolescence (15-16 years) and two years later.They completed questionnaires regarding stressful life events, family relationships, and adolescent adjustment. Results showed that high quality parent-adolescent relationships protected boys and girls against the negative consequences of stressful life events on externaliz- ing, but not internalizing, symptoms. The adolescents who enjoyed good relationships with their parents in mid-adolescence did not increase their externalizing problems in late adolescence as consequence of the occurrence of stressful events. However, these stressors did lead to an increase in the number of externalizing problems when the family relationships were of a middle or low quality. These results highlight the important role that supportive family relationships play in the behavioral adjustment of adolescents, protecting them against some negative consequences of stressful life events, and suggest the relevance of supporting parents through resources such as parent education in order to help them to improve their relationships with their adolescents

Características de los padres y madres de los menores acogidos en familia extensa: aspectos prioritarios para la prevención y la preservación familiar

Un dato que destaca en la investigación en acogimiento en familia extensa es que la mayoría de los estudios se han centrado prioritariamente en dos de los tres protagonistas de estos acogimientos –los menores y sus acogedores-, quedando los padres de los acogidos en un muy lejano segundo plano. El estudio que presentamos a través de este póster aspira a ampliar la información existente sobre las familias de origen de los menores, con el objeto no sólo de conocer las circunstancias vividas por los menores con anterioridad a su acogimiento, sino también de marcar posibles elementos de trabajo con los padres y madres que amplíen las posibilidades de preservación familiar. El análisis realizado se enmarca en una investigación más amplia sobre el contenido de los expedientes de una muestra de menores en acogimiento en familia extensa en la provincia de Sevilla. De sus principales hallazgos podemos destacar la extrema debilidad de las familias de origen de los menores para hacer frente a la crianza y educación de sus hijos e hijas. Entre los elementos que en mayor medida comprometen la vida familiar destaca la presencia de toxicomanía en uno o, con mayor frecuencia, en ambos progenitores, asociada a un estilo de vida marginal donde predominan la inestabilidad en las relaciones de pareja, los problemas económicos, las actividades delictivas y los problemas de salud. El elevado apoyo que los padres de los menores reciben de sus familias de origen supone un importante elemento de protección, aunque ello puede ser cuestionable para un buen número de padres y madres que han vivido a su vez una historia de desprotección en su propia infancia y cuyas familias de origen evidencian importantes elementos de riesgo. En nuestra opinión, los factores reseñados deben contemplarse como aspectos prioritarios de los programas de intervención con estas familias.Research in kinship foster care frequently has been focused on two of their protagonists, carers and children and adolescents cared for, while neglecting the knowledge about the parents of the minors. With the study presented in this poster, we try to go deeply into variables related to the birth families of children and adolescents in kinship foster care, to know the circumstances lived by minors previously to be foster and also to identify possible key factors to improve professional intervention with these families and increase the chances of family preservation. The analysis fits into a larger study carried out in Spain to know the kinship foster care files of children and adolescents existing in the archives of the Child Protection Service of the province of Seville. Our data underlines the weakness of the birth families to look after their children. Among the factors that most affect the family functioning highlights the presence of drug abuse in one or, more frequently, in both parents, associated to a marginal style of life where predominate the unsteadiness in the relations of couple, the economic problems, the illegal activities and the health problems. The great support that these parents receive of their birth families could be an important element of protection, although this can be questionable for a large number of parents and mothers that have lived a history of abuse or neglect in their own childhood and whose families of origin show important risk elements. We think that these variables are especially key in the interventions with the birth families of these children and adolescents in kinship foster care.peerReviewe

Ontologies as Backbone of Cognitive Systems Engineering

Cognitive systems are starting to be deployed as appliances across the technological landscape of modern societies. The increasing availability of high performance computing platforms has opened an opportunity for statistics-based cognitive systems that perform quite as humans in certain tasks that resisted the symbolic methods of classic artificial intelligence. Cognitive artefacts appear every day in the media, raising a wave of mild fear concerning artificial intelligence and its impact on society. These systems, performance notwithstanding, are quite brittle and their reduced dependability limips their potential for massive deployment in mission-critical applications -e.g. in autonomous driving or medical diagnosis. In this paper we explore the actual possibility of building cognitive systems using engineering-grade methods that can assure the satisfaction of strict requirements for their operation. The final conclusion will be that, besides the potential improvement provided by a rigorous engineering process, we are still in need of a solid theory -possibly the main outcome of cognitive science- that could sustain such endeavour. In this sense, we propose the use of formal ontologies as backbones of cognitive systems engineering processes and workflows

Dissociative symptoms in family foster children: [póster]

Adjustment problems and mental health of children in the child welfare system have been a concern for a long time. However, it hasn’t been until recently that researchers and practitioners have claimed a more in-depth and nuanced knowledge of mental health in this population. Different research studies have shown a relevant presence of disturbances (such as trauma-related anxiety, disinhibited social engagement or dissociative symptoms) in foster care children specifically derived from the adverse experiences they have suffered. Some children develop significant dissociative symptoms because of traumatizing, emotionally overwhelming experiences that cannot be processed (such as physical or sexual abuse) and therefore disrupt the normal integration and coherence of memory, consciousness and perception. Severe dissociation places children in a maladaptive developmental pathway and entails significant risk for later psychopathology. In this study, the presence of dissociative symptoms in a sample of foster children between 4 and 8 years old who were living in non-relative foster families for at least six months in Southern Spain was analyzed. The Child Dissociative Checklist (CDC; Putnam, Helmers, & Trickett, 1993) was used to assess dissociative symptoms, the most widely used parent-reported questionnaire for this symptomatology. The CDC was answered by the primary foster caregiver during a home visit. We obtained the information related to adverse events and trajectory in the child protection services through the case records in collaboration with caseworkers. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge of the development of dissociative symptoms in children in family foster care, particularly in those who have suffered the most severe adversity. An informed and comprehensive knowledge of the possible mental health issues in foster and maltreated children in general is essential if we want to provide tailored and effective interventions to this vulnerable population

La investigación en acogimiento familiar: de la descripción a los procesos de adaptación y desarrollo

Este artículo presenta una revisión de algunas líneas de investigación centradas en el acogimiento familiar sobre las que sería conveniente ampliar nuestro conocimiento, particularmente en España. Para que la medida de acogimiento familiar se ajuste mejor a las necesidades de los menores es fundamental dar el salto de los estudios descriptivos al análisis de los procesos relacionados con una mejor adaptación. Con motivo de una investigación actualmente en marcha por los autores, en este artículo se repasan algunas de las áreas más relevantes para el desarrollo de los menores en acogimiento familiar que aún están escasamente estudiadas. Concretamente, las áreas revisadas son la auto-regulación, las representaciones mentales de apego, la salud mental y la familia acogedora como contexto de recuperación. En cada una de ellas se subraya su importancia en el acogimiento familiar y se repasan los estudios más relevantes. El artículo finaliza con algunas conclusiones derivadas de la revisión.The current paper is a review of some research lines on foster care in which we need a greater knowledge, particularly in Spain. If we want foster care to be better adjusted to children needs, it is essential to move beyond descriptive studies to tackle processes and mechanisms that lead to a better adjustment. This article reviews some of these relevant areas for children development that are still scarcely studied in foster care, in line with a current research project by the authors. The areas reviewed are self-regulation, mental representations of attachment, mental health and the foster family as a context for recovery. In each area, it’s emphasized its relevance for foster care, and the major studies are reviewed. The article ends with some conclusions derived from the literature review